FAO Everyone...

I know where there's a good domino match Thursday if yam interested

Baggiestour wrote:I know where there's a good domino match Thursday if yam interested

Sounds better than the shopping up Merry Hill! There will be a double blank at the club too by the look of it.

Do you mean double *ank ?

Baggiestour wrote:Do you mean double  *ank ?

Already had one of those viewing another website

In all fairness, we don't know if the closed shop take on asking certain questions is TRM's personal opinion or if he is passing on orders and instructions from above? Again,the lack of clarity in communication from the club is causing all this doubt and concern in the first place.

So there we have it folks.

Back to square one.

We are allowed an open Q&A as long as its 'well not to open'!

We can ask questions about the future, but not of the past! I wonder if this is because the club are aware of many mistakes in the past season or so & simply dont want to be reminded?

Fans can get excited about this Thursday offer. But lets face it nothing will change whilst we have the current structure in place.

To be truthful there are many questions I want answers to, but I know they simply wont get answered, why? Because they have been asked hundreds of times before.

I sincerely hope some of you will get answers.

Alright, STOP!

Let me clarify.

ASK WHATEVER YOU WANT. That has always been Andy's intention. If the air needs clearing on things that have gone on then so be it. In fact, it's vital that that happens otherwise clearly the Club and the supporters will never move forwards.

My "plea" last night wasn't meant to confuse that. It was just a PERSONAL view that somehow, somewhere, a line needs to be drawn and we have got to look forwards instead of backwards. Thursday night may not be that "line" but it should be the beginning of the future.

I hope that's clear enough, but if not let me say it again.

Thursday night is an OPEN discussion evening. Talk about anything and everything. NOTHING is off limits.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try to take this damn thing in the spirit it is intended, and embrace it!

Devil's Advocate wrote:Can someone please get a definitive figure of how much the club has in the coffers?

Absolutely no idea. Ask on Thursday night.

Nath wrote:

Baggiestour wrote:Do you mean double  *ank ?

Already had one of those viewing another website

In all fairness, we don't know if the closed shop take on asking certain questions is TRM's personal opinion or if he is passing on orders and instructions from above? Again,the lack of clarity in communication from the club is causing all this doubt and concern in the first place.

It's not lack of clarity in communication from the club, it's me not choosing my words carefully enough!

Go back to the piece on the website, and my earlier posts and I hope I 've made it as clear as possible that there are NO BOUNDARIES to what you can raise on Thursday.

By the way, in case anybody cares, and because at least one person has asked me, I will not be there on Thursday.

1. My wife is out.

2. I have to fetch my daughter from netball training.

3. I've already given Andy my thoughts and criticisms (good and bad) in a 3-page email yesterday.

4. I don't have any questions I want answered that I haven't already asked.

Get the feeling that the one half, doesn't know what the other half is doing?

TRM, Being the 'spokesman' for the club on this 'prickly' issue on this forum, maybe it was best not to mention your personal views without the clarity it deserved?

I do hope the club & fans who want answers do indeed embrace this Q&A and the club can move on as one, not as seperate parties.

Some fans may have been wrong with certain views, but lets remember its because of the 'us & them' scenario that has developed over the years at the club why this has mostly happened. And that IS the fault of the club for not being forthcoming and transparent with answers.

Baggiestour wrote:I sgree you can't change the past, but supporters will want answers.
You can't have an open forum and tell them not to ask questions on certain matters............
Things I would like to know is, has the budget been slashed , thus resulting in average players bought, why hasn't more money ( FA cup money) been spent on the ground?
But we can't ask those questions because it is in the past??????
May as well go Xmas shopping down merry hell

Can answer some of that for you straight away. The budget has gone up. Was clear to see at the AGM.

All I want is what's best for the future of this Club. I don't care about politics or personalities. I've tried to promote Thursday night as a "good thing" and a positive move, and that's my opinion both personally and as a "spokesman", if you want to call me that.

Perhaps I've tried too hard, but it breaks my heart (bit of an exaggeration, but you get my drift) to read some of the things on here.

I've said enough.

I think after Thursday meeting everybody has to draw a line under whatever has been said whether they like the answers that are given or not from either the management or the fans otherwise the club will never more forward.

Both parties just have to appreciate that everyone has a different point of view whether they think it was the correct decision or not.

Jack wrote:

Baggiestour wrote:I sgree you can't change the past, but supporters will want answers.
You can't have an open forum and tell them not to ask questions on certain matters............
Things I would like to know is, has the budget been slashed , thus resulting in average players bought, why hasn't more money ( FA cup money) been spent on the ground?
But we can't ask those questions because it is in the past??????
May as well go Xmas shopping down merry hell

Can answer some of that for you straight away. The budget has gone up. Was clear to see at the AGM.

This being one of the major roots of the problem in my opinion. If you get players in from out of town with no affiliation to the club or town and pay them top whack money, this is the crap you get. No commitment, no passion, no pride. Just lazy couldn't care less attitude, such as the episode at the hotel the night before Workington. Certain players pissing around all night playing effing computer games or whatever it was, with no thought whatsoever for the people spending their hard earned time and money making the long trek up there to watch them. I certainly don't think that higher budget equals better players. If we reduced the budget and say capped wages at £150 this would ensure more locally based players coming to join us and players who would be playing for the right reasons and therefore playing with more heart and pride. I would almost guarantee an improvement in results immediately.

stoursi wrote:I think after Thursday meeting everybody has to draw a line under whatever has been said whether they like the answers that are given or not from either the management or the fans otherwise the club will never more forward.

Both parties just have to appreciate that everyone has a different point of view whether they think it was the correct decision or not.

Spot on Si

Thanks very much Nathan and others for your detailed responses. It's nice to hear what people are doing now.

Obviously understandable that a few of my list are not made welcome anymore if they were involved in more 'untoward' activities, but it is a crying shame that some others do not come anymore.

The sad thing is that I am sure they would love to come back given the chance.

I am not trying to make a charity case of him but what is the amount due to the club from Simon? I would happily contribute, to get the club to retract his ban and get him back to the War Memorial again.

Also Mike from the Mitre - what a terrible shame his contributions were ignored just because of a windfall due to the cup runs - which are a totally one-off event and should not mean that regular funding contributors should be cast aside as I'm sure we will come to a time when we really need those regular contributions if we have a dry spell in terms of cash-generating exploits on the pitch.

And regards to TRM's post, why is everyone jumping on an innocuous personal remark about the need to focus on what's best for our future. I totally agree as I have mentioned before - why go down and demand answers about Gosport, McCone, Geddes etc. - focus on how, i.e. how are we going to improve our mixed set of recent results, is the ground up to scratch for the Conference North, how much funding do we currently have as DA said.

As Jane N said those who have their personal agendas were once again totally transparent in their reaction to TRM's post; as usual DA Tricky and Nathan posted reasonably personal views which they are more than entitled to - on this occasion I disagreed as I don't think TRM was trying to 'vet' responses or 'weed out' critical questions by what he said, but, at least you are not pursuing an agenda and you all want to see the club do well.

Sadly, others decide to pursue personal agendas yet again. Is this because of connections to former players one wonders.

Going back to what Nathan said yesterday and that i commented on at that time,i do feel it's important that a meeting such as this is handled properly and the format of the meeting has not yet been explained either on here or on the website?

If it's an informal event,mingling in the bar after training or when other important bits and pieces are being done ( like it was the last time i popped down on a Thursday and spoke with Gary ) then i don't think much will be achieved if i'm honest.

My own view is that it should be done in a "Questiontime" type manner with Andy P and Gary on stage and with someone acting as chairman over proceedings,doing it this way leaves no room for ambiguity,everyone hears the questions asked and everyone then hears the answers,theres no "he said this" and then people disagreeing with it afterwards.

Another important thing to take into account is that those at the club may get asked some difficult questions,if this is going to work they are going to have to take these questions on the chin based on the fact it's nothing personal,it's just the questions they'd be getting asked by the media if the club was at a higher level.

Our club doesn't have an owner,therefore the members are perfectly within their right's to ask difficult questions without feeling uncomfortable before,during or after this event,recognition must be given to the fact that people are there and asking those questions both because they care AND because there is nobody else to ask those questions with a club of our size.

Nobody should have to feel they are getting the "dead eye" off anyone at the club if they've turned up and asked questions,the reason for this "open" forum is surely to create some harmony again moving forward.

I also feel that although the general idea of this has been made in the right spirit by the club it's also been done with short notice,i know for definite two people who would've been excellent questioners who can't make it on Thursday night,perhaps the club could have a quick re-think so that people attending the next home league game can be made aware of the event allowing more to attend AND maybe this will allow the club more time to arrange this as a more formal event as i suggested earlier in this reply?

A clarification of the format from TRM or the club would be appreciated?

glassboypaul wrote:And regards to TRM's post, why is everyone jumping on an innocuous personal remark about the need to focus on what's best for our future. I totally agree as I have mentioned before - why go down and demand answers about Gosport, McCone, Geddes etc. - focus on how, i.e. how are we going to improve our mixed set of recent results, is the ground up to scratch for the Conference North, how much funding do we currently have as DA said.

As Jane N said those who have their personal agendas were once again totally transparent in their reaction to TRM's post; as usual DA Tricky and Nathan posted reasonably personal views which they are more than entitled to - on this occasion I disagreed as I don't think TRM was trying to 'vet' responses or 'weed out' critical questions by what he said, but, at least you are not pursuing an agenda and you all want to see the club do well.

Sadly, others decide to pursue personal agendas yet again. Is this because of connections to former players one wonders.

For once not guilty.
I decided against replying to Rich's post.

I'm of the opinion that people have gone mad on here. Good grief let's get some perspective, we're talking about a team that, although not exactly setting the world alight, are mid table in their first season in the NPL. A league that, most of us agreed would be tougher than the SLP.

How many times over the past few seasons have we had this 'Gary doesn't know what he's doing', 'square peg round holes' argument, only for the season to improve post Christmas. We're barely out of November, half a dozen points outside the play offs and, hopefully still in with a shout of making the play offs. I'd have been happy with mid table this season whilst we 'acclimatise' if you will, and i've not changed my mind.

An outsider reading this thread would think we were rock bottom with unscrupulous evil leaders asset stripping the club.

I've only spoken briefly, on one occasion to Andy Pountney, and to me, he seemed a proper good bloke, not a dictatorial villain. I understand this view that the club seems more aloof in some respects, because it's probably true. But the club has become more professional, as it's needed to be, as we've progressed on the field, and certainly has off it.

You can't on one hand, complain about the clubs perceived lack of professionalism with regards ticket sales during the cup runs etc, to now decide it's too professional and 'they don't care about us true fans'. If anyone really feels that strongly, join the committee and advocate change.

I think, somewhere down the line, some have lost sight of what SFC is to them and why they originally came to games. It's a non league club, has been for 138 years, and most likely will never be anything else.

I remember the mid 90's very well, and there is precious little about it that I recall fondly. Relegation to the MFA was the most gut wrenching feeling i'd experiencing watching them. Those of us there at Hinckley Utd on the last day of the season, as our faint hopes of survival evaporated inside the first 45 minutes, with the 'We can never get back up with our ground' ringing in our ears won't forget it. The looks upon mine and my friends faces said it all, none of us said a word as I recall, just looked at each other forlornly. Of course it wasn't just about that day, or even that season, it was the culmination of several years of poor management by dodgy owners that led to it. Our present 'regime' if you will, are comparitive saints to some of the buggers that have passed through the War Memorial.

I think, what i'm trying to say, is that whilst some decisions seem baffling to us fans, I never doubt that they are not made with the best of intentions, and in the best interests of SFC. I only know 1 or 2 of the present committee, and of course, they are not above criticism, but I know from experience, how demoralising it is to do you best, voluntarily, only to be met with criticism and abuse from some sections.

We're having a mixed season, disappointing exits from the FA Cup and Trophy, some bad league results thrown in, yet still sat in a reasonable position to challenge for the play offs, if, and it's a big if, we start to perform more consistantly.

With regards to TRM, i've known him for almost 25 years and, with all due respect, he's an arsey bugger at times like myself, and we've had our share of spats, but he's getting undue criticism here, probably because he's fallen into the no mans land trap of supporter, but with 'inside' knowledge. He's entitled to his view like everyone else, just because he updates the website and twitter doesn't make him exempt from having his own viewpoint.

Is it any wonder he hardly ever posts on here these days?

"The evening will be formally structured and Chaired by Andy Pountney, with supporters welcome to put any questions to whichever members of the panel they wish."

Added to the official statement I believe. No excuses folks. This is what you wanted, take advantage of it.

Yes now is the time to come out from behind your keyboards and support your club.

Will those with their own agendas turn up though? I'd say highly unlikely!

What has happened to some of the regulars on here? The likes of TRM, Dave the Glassboy, NickFCB, Stourboy, Redpike, Stoursi, and others? They don't seem to post much anymore if at all.

Are they all disillusioned with the forum?

Is it because any positive opinions are shot down in flames by those with their own agendas?

I think maybe the admin team should consider an advert in the programme, leaflet hand outs etc. in order to promote the forum more to a wider audience.

I'll be at my daughters concert so will miss the debate so it would be good for folks to put some of the more salient points etc on here in the coming days.

I'll do my best to get down before it starts though, i've got a whole stack of pitchforks and torches i'm struggling to shift on ebay

If I go I'll put whatever is interesting up on here Aled. Not sure if I will though, because I don't believe Gary has to justify everything to us. But hey ho, what do I know?

Jack wrote:"The evening will be formally structured and Chaired by Andy Pountney, with supporters welcome to put any questions to whichever members of the panel they wish."

Added to the official statement I believe. No excuses folks. This is what you wanted, take advantage of it.

Is living in Worcester a good enough excuse Nory.

Aled wrote:I'll be at my daughters concert so will miss the debate so it would be good for folks to put some of the more salient points etc on here in the coming days.

I'll do my best to get down before it starts though, i've got a whole stack of pitchforks and torches i'm struggling to shift on ebay

How much for the pitchforks sweetcheeks?